BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh freshman forward Kim Eng has been named the Patriot League’s Rookie of the Year for Field Hockey, it was announced Tuesday as the league announced its All-League teams and major award winners. The Patriot League’s leading scorer during the regular season, Eng’s play helped propel the Mountain Hawks into the Patriot League tournament for the fourth time in six years. Eng was also named to the All-Patriot League first team on Tuesday along with senior Morgan Christopher. Junior Taryn Hartzell was named to the second team for the second straight year.
Eng made an immediate impact offensively in her first season in the Brown and White. Her 34 points and 13 goals topped the Patriot League, while her eight assists ranked third. Eng’s 2.13 points per game rank 26th nationally. She tallied points in ten of Lehigh’s 16 regular season games including the Mountain Hawks lone hat trick of the season in a win against Holy Cross that enabled Lehigh to qualify for the Patriot League tournament.
The Morristown, N.J. native led the Patriot League with 94 shots this season and scored the game-winning goal in four of Lehigh’s six wins this season. Eng becomes the first Lehigh field hockey player to be named the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Christopher joins Eng on the All-League first team after an impressive and productive senior season after missing most of the last two seasons due to injury. The Plano, Texas native started all 16 games on the forward line for Lehigh and ranks second on the Mountain Hawks in goals (six), assists (three) and points (15). Christopher scored goals in three of Lehigh’s five Patriot League games, and delivered an overtime game-winning goal in the Mountain Hawks 3-2 overtime non-league win over Fairfield on October 14.
Hartzell makes her second consecutive appearance on the second team after again serving as the anchor of Lehigh’s backline in 2009. The West Chester native started all 16 games in the back and ranked second on the team with four defensive saves, while also serving as one of Lehigh’s top tacklers and ball-distributors. Hartzell also made contributions on the offensive end, netting three goals, including the game-winner on a penalty stroke in Lehigh’s Patriot League opening victory over Colgate.
Patriot League regular season champion American captured three of the four remaining major awards, with Christine Fingerhuth being named Offensive Player of the Year, Anne-Meike de Wiljes earning Defensive Player of the Year honors and Steve Jennings winning Coach of the Year honors. Lafayette’s Kelsey Andersen was named the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
The Mountain Hawks (6-10, 2-3 Patriot League) will head to Washington, D.C. for the Patriot League tournament Friday and Saturday at American’s Jacobs Field. Lehigh, the No. 4 seed will face top-seed American in Friday’s first semifinal at 11 a.m., with No. 2 Bucknell and No. 3 Lafayette to follow at 1:30 p.m.
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